Andy Pettitte signed to a minor league deal with the Yankees. I guess the Yankees cause mass hysteria, so I shouldn’t have been surprised by how many people asked me if they should pick him, but, alas, you still surprised me, you. In anything shallower than a 10 team AL-Only league, I wouldn’t go near him. He wasn’t even that good his last few years of pitching, so I don’t see how you can expect anything from him a full year after retirement. What this does show us: Never trust a Southerner who says they are retiring early – Favre, Oswalt, Pettitte, Strom Thurmond… “I just want to spend time with family, God and my tractor.” Yeah, right. Anyway, here’s what I saw in spring training for 2012 fantasy baseball:

Scott Baker – The Twins are saying Baker could start the season on the DL. I’m saying he will start the year on the DL. The good news, he’s getting one of his half dozen DL trips out of the way early.

Carl Crawford – Started to swing a bat again. He’s still starting the year on the DL, but this is encouraging. I actually love when good news comes out about a guy I want someone else to draft.

Jeff Samardzija – Sveum says Samardzija is all but a lock for the rotation. Obviously strange S last names have to stick together. Outside of NL-Only leagues, I wouldn’t mess with Samardzija. Too many walks.

Matt Thornton – Robin Ventura said that Thornton and Crain are the best candidates for the closer job. No surprise here, and it will be less surprising when Thornton gets the closer job, then loses it some time in July when hitters start catching up to Thornton’s melons.

Placido Polanco – Left a game on Saturday with a jammed finger. Phillies then turned to reserves. You’d think a jammed finger would turn one to preserves. That joke setup felt longer than Tree of Life.

Logan Morrison – He’s experiencing swelling in his surgically-repaired knee. Not great news at all. He’s saying he should be good for Opening Day, but I’m not crazy about the thought of a guy who is having swelling the day after he plays in March. If I’ve drafted him already on teams, I’m gonna make due, but I’ll probably not be reaching too high for him in future drafts. The more guys I can avoid with minor injuries already, the better the sheen on my mustache.

Giancarlo Stanton – Will sit out a week with inflammation in his left knee. Is knee swelling contagious? I swear to the deity of your choice if I find out Logan Morrison contaminated Giancarlo’s gam, there will be a price to pay that includes, but is not limited to forever damnation. Giancarlo should still be ready for the start of the season. Bee tee dubya, I’m liking the name change to Giancarlo. He sounds like a European playboy, race car driver.

Carlos Quentin – Out for 6 weeks because of knee surgery. I’m not a doctor, but I don’t think the actual surgery will take that long. Probably some rehab involved in those 6 weeks. Twelve after twenty is the year major league baseball took a knee. How’s that for pithy?! Full of pith that Grey Albright. Am I right or am I right-right?

Bryce Harper – The Nats beat their projected ticket sales for April so they optioned Harper to Triple-A. Imagine Harper will be back some time in July, and no hell below us. It’s easy if you try…

Francisco Liriano – Pitched a near no-no vs. the Pirates. I’d like to punch him in his no-no area like the dwarf in Project X for what Liriano did to me last year.

Brandon Guyer – Was sent down by the Rays. He went 14/16 last year in 107 Triple-A games, and, because of his age, he’s ready to go in the majors. First sign of injury, Guyer will return and be worth rostering in most mixed leagues. In AL-Only leagues, it’s worth stashing him on the bench. Maybe we can convince the Rasmus Girl to do a “Guyer, let’s go” video.

Stephen Drew – Not only will he start the year on the DL, but the Diamondbacks are saying he won’t be back until May. So let’s see what we have, Drew who hasn’t really ever been great, hasn’t played in almost a year and his timetable keeps getting delayed. At this point, I wouldn’t draft him with your team. The Honorable Willie Bloomquist will now be presiding in his place.

Shaun Marcum – Beginning to look like Marcum might not be ready to go for the start of the season, but it looks like he might only miss a start or two. I would still draft him and not move him down ranking sheets. By as early as May, you won’t even remember Marcum missed one start at the beginning of the season… Unless you get hit by a foul ball at the Brewers opener, go into a coma for a month and wake up in early May.

Joakim Soria – Left yesterday’s game with elbow soreness. You’ve got to Joakim me? Soria’s been lit up so far this spring and now there’s elbow soreness. Then, after the game, he said he’s worried. Yeah, I am too. As late as Saturday, I thought Soria was in line for a bounce back, but then again I was drunk. You would think Soria’s broken eggs would brighten up any Holland days, but Broxton and his huge ass could block him out. Right now, I’d draft them all if you’re desperate for saves. I think if the Royals have any sense in their head, they’ll go Holland first and, if you have only room for one, I’d go that way too. Hopefully, Holland doesn’t have to go Dutch with the save opportunities.

Chien-Ming Wang – Strained his hamstring and won’t be ready for Opening Day. That’s a real shame because the Nats invested in that giant bullpen zipper for Wang to come out of.

David Wright – Won’t resume baseball activities, which includes but is not limited to scratching himself and spitting, until the middle to end of next week. Member when the Mets were competing with the Yankees to be the team of New York? Had Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Johan… The world their oyster, and they turned mollusks to bollocks.

@Project_Badass, Thanks! I tried balanced out AVG with Butler, Young, and Starlin…when I put it in the war room I believe I was around .270…2nd and 3rd tier SP falls far in this league, so I was able to get great value like Wilson @ 102 and Morrow at 219.

Grey, I just had my draft last night and if you would please take a min or two to evaluate. Thanks
12 Team
8×8
Hitting added Doubles,Triples,Total Bases
Pitching added Losses,Complete Games, Quality Starts

@Steven, hey i play in an 8×8 not sure if yours is exactly like mine, but pitching wise i think you’re solid, soria might be a closer that wont help, but that can be aided thru free agency, hitting looks super solid, a couple averge concerns but they’re all stat fillers.

@Grey, Wow I knew I read it somewhere but only could find closers and set up man post from early February. The post I was looking for was right on front of my face. Think it was because I saw this post via email. Thanks

He went in rd 23 in my league. I’d say if you want him rd19/20 would be the place to grap him. This time last year he was rd7. He really pissed alot of people off last year though, including me so I dont think i’d go for him.

I know, I totally hate Liriano as much as you man, dude killed me in one league last year. Said I would never go back, but in one of the last rounds in a deep 16 teamer, is the upside too great to pass up?

Grey, whats your take on Zambrano’s high K rate this spring? Is he gonna turn it around? I know its spring training, but he had like 7 K’s in 4 innings. Do you see moving him up in the rankings? I gotta believe Ozzie will get the most out of him if anybody.

My SP staff is Gio, Garza, Anibel, and Leubke with Norris, J Chacin, and Colby Lewis on the bench. My hitting is out of this world, but you can see why I am closely monitoring all the SP free agents.

Yo Grey!
Asked this question back in November when it seemed like more of a no brainer, yet here we are in March and it’s not so easy. 12 team keeper, 6×6 (obp, holds), yahoo standard rosters. 4 keepers, with the layups being J. Upton, Miggy and Clayton. Asked previously if my 4th should be “safe” like David Wright or young and sexy like Brett Lawrie. Thanks to the miracle workers on the Mets medical staff (seriously just buy the Phoenix suns and steal theirs) I’m worried D Wrights season could be like last year. As you stated earlier, even if he plays there’s a good chance he’s not healthy, and it will definitely affect both his power and speed numbers. Leaning towards Lawrie (my new favorite band name) at this point since he’s got more long term value. Or I could go Kinsler? Keepers are due Wednesday, would love your input. Viva la stache!

@Eddy, Wait. Utley and Weeks are banged up? Missing playing time? I haven’t seen the big rash of rectus (he nearly killed us) injuries that I seem to remember last year. In short, avoiding Wright and any combo of rash and rectus.

One more Trout question. Finalizing my keeper list for 2012 draft. I currently have Trout at $2 in a 3 year keeper head to head league (5×5). This would be his second year on my team. Leaving me with one solid year of production from him at $4 (20% salary inflation – $500 cap).

Question is Grey – do I throw him back and hope to get him cheap after the draft to gain another year of eligibility or keep him for that one good year of production at a cheap price?
PS – Kelly Johnson or Ryan Roberts?

@Mr Baseball – as rest of closers go – if I wanted different closer that went a little cheaper – you just never know – the person that drafted that closer might have bidder higher to match me – in roto no closers mean no points

@Mr Baseball, 8 man bench hurt me – some always save their money and for the most part this does not work – but with a 8 man bench the two teams that saved their money and drafted a crappy lineup ended up with a good starting pitching staff – so they can fight it out for first two spots

Had my first ever auction last night. 14 team roto. Deep rosters. Tried to get some cheap closers but kept getting outbid so I punted and grabbed some MR hopefulls. Might move Bourne for an RP as I feel I’m a little heavy in the speed department. How did I do? Also I hate Rollins for $17. Not sure what I was thinking there.

For what it’s worth, I heard the Seattle GM on the radio the other day and while he raved about Montero at bat, he basically said, not in so many words, he’s not ready to catch at the big league level. He also said, he wouldn’t care if he was a career DH and never caught because he’s that good a hitter. What I heard between the lines is that he’s not going to catch a lot this year.

Bottom line, I think Montero is being over drafted as a catcher in leagues where he doesn’t qualify (most all I think). The fact that Seattle is going to break camp with two other experienced MLB catchers is pretty telling. Even if he catches once a week, you’re looking at the all star break almost. I could see him not getting there and then getting a bunch of time at catcher in August after the traditional Mariners throwing in the towel ceremony.

@OaktownSteve, I agree Steve. Just had that conversion with a frenemie the other day. I’m also thinking he doesn’t catch as much early on and won’t qualify until around the ASB. The talk will be the M’s killed the Yanks because Montero easily outperforms Pineda early on.

Grey, preparing for 1st year of my 16 H2H Each Cat draft. Trying to work out how to go about drafting pitching, we have a 12 starts per week limit on pitchers , and only 8 P spots and 4 BE spots. I know MR’s are usually golden in H2H leagues, but with these settings in mind, how many starters, closers and MR’s would you draft (12 max obviously)? Im thinking 8 starters, 2 closers and 2 middle relievers (so no bench bats), that about right?

another owner looking for bats, either SS or 3B. Looking at offering ARam for Price or Hamels, probably not enough but worth a shot. I would then slide Bonifacio to 3B and have JD Martinez starting as my left fielder. Is this too much of a hit offensively?

@Grey, I know…Actually a group of experienced players, but the pitching run through the first 5 rounds was ridiculous. There was also an autodraft team that took 5 SP and 2RP with their first 7 picks…That allowed me to get Tex in the 4th. Once that run stopped, I went back to back with Lester and MBum.

I may have written this in the comments of every daily notes post, but these posts make me so damn happy. Now that I’m apparently too old and tired to stay up for the Daily Show, this shizz has taken over for them in satisfying my need for entertaining information. Of course, I now have no idea about what is going on outside of fantasy baseball, but as a result, life is much less depressing! “Enough about Syria- did you hear about Soria’s sore elbow?!!”

Anyone have any thoughts on Trumbo’s odds of getting play (yes, Ms. Milano, I see your hand raised, why don’t we let someone else answer the question)?

Angels looking all jammed (weird, because last I checked, it was hell that was in danger of getting overcrowded), but I still dream of 25 HRs/okay avg from a 15th-round pick with 1B/3B/OF eligibility. In those dreams, true, I’m also being force-fed churros by the Rally Monkey, but still.

I have no idea if you can help me Grey but I am looking for a website that can host my league’s fantasy draft that is capable of inserting keepers into specific rounds before the draft starts. We use ESPN, which apparently never cared to think that this type of keeper format is pretty popular.